I miss my old room...

Detah shifted uncomfortably in his new clothes, glancing around the somewhat lavish room again. Aboard this vessel, amongst these upperclassmen, he felt very much like an outsider. Although he had never particularly attached meaning to it before, that musty old room had been his home - one of the very few stable things in his life. Although it had never been his in a legal sense, it almost seemed like it had been a part of him... he was having a few misgivings about the entire trip. Bored, Detah decided to see what Jacob was doing in the game room aboard the ship.

~~~

Jacob seemed to be in his element. He had the attention of a group of people around a Krys table and seemed to be recounting some extremely interesting story. The aristocrats around him were listening intently, drinks poised midway between table and mouth. Glancing in Detah's direction, he called across the room, "Detah! Hey! Come over here, join us."

What kind of scam is he running over there?

Lacking a better course of action, Detah moved somewhat nervously toward the Krys table, noticing that the cards from the previous round were still out. Reaching Jacob, Detah raised an eyebrow inquiringly, to which Jacob replied with a sly wink.

"Everyone, this is Detah. Detah, this is everyone." Jacob broadly gestured to the group around the Krys table. "We were just enjoying some drinks, playing some Krys... Oh, and I was telling them about our little trade network."

Oh, so that's how he's playing it...

Nodding knowingly, Detah turned toward the group. "Yeah... we have outlets all over... Opulens, Nemorosus, Sanitas, Custos..." explained Detah casually.

"Anyway, we're starting a new venture in Veneficus, and I was about to ask you fine people if you were interested in a stake in it. The deal I have planned is very lucrative," added Jacob.

Clever dog... I wonder how much we can scam out of these people... On the other hand, it seems a bit hasty to be making enemies in Veneficus before we've even reached the city.

"You told them about the deal? I'm not so sure that was a good idea," replied Detah, feigning disapproval. "Besides, it's probably too high-risk for them."

"Nah, I'm interested," responded one woman, tossing a small pouch of coins onto the table.

"You really shouldn't... I'm not even sure why Jacob told you all. Sure, it may be lucrative, but it's also too risky for fine people like yourselves," warned Detah.

"Are you suggesting that we're cowards?" asked a man to the right of the woman. "I'm in too," he added forcefully, tossing a second pouch of coins onto the table.

This is working extremely well... At this rate, we really will be able to start a trading venture... heh.